Unfortunately, it looks like JRPG fans in Australia must wait a little longer to get their hands on both Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse and 7th Dragon III Code: VFD. Deep Silver, the publisher of these games in both Europe and Australia, has confirmed that the launch date for both games will have to be pushed back by one week.

Both Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse and 7th Dragon III Code: VFD will now be on store shelves in Australia on December 9 instead of the previously-announced release date of December 2.

Deep Silver has not given any reason for the delay.

Even though it's a little frustrating to see such a delay get imposed on the release of a game that came out several months ago in other territories, at least this situation is nowhere near as terrible as the one-and-a-half-year wait imposed on European and Australian gamers who wanted to get their hands on a digital-only release of Shin Megami Tensei IV. Likewise, it's nice to see that 7th Dragon III Code: VFD is even getting a release in those territories, considering that Sega originally had no plans to even release the game outside of North America and Japan.

Despite my criticisms, I'm still hopeful that Deep Silver will be able to achieve a greater parity with regards to the launch dates of Atlus-published titles in Europe and Australia when compared to that of North America. After all, the publisher has been able to lock in a simultaneous release date for the upcoming Persona 5 in these territories.

I can only hope that the situation regarding both Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse and 7th Dragon III Code: VFD is the exception rather than the rule when going forward. After all, the North American release date for the former was only confirmed days after the publishing agreement between Atlus and Deep Silver had been officially announced, and the latter was to be released less than a week after news of that deal had broke. Such a disparity between launch dates in Europe and Australia when compared to that of other regions was to be expected.

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Have you trawled the quickposts yet today?

It's Mech Girl Monday, a time-honored tradition that I am all about as a way to start the work week off right. Today also brings a thoughtful gift from your friendly neighborhood community member iam16bit: a Destructoid shirt to wear in Animal Crossing: New Leaf. That's so sweet!

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As a support main in Overwatch, I know Genji's blade all too well. I'm usually its first target!

The folks at Baltimore Knife and Sword have made a real-world counterpart (complete with shurikens!) for this episode of Man at Arms: Reforged. Though I think you should at least hop around in the early bits to pick up insights about the build and its ties to history, I understand if you just want to see the sword slice up milk jugs and soda cans. Skip to around 17:18 for that and some bonus cosplay.

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While Hitman season one may be a really solid entry in the series, the always online requirement has been terrible. Regardless of whether or not you own the content, you cannot access your equipment or make any level progression if you aren't currently connected to the internet. It makes for a situation where your internet may go out and you're left with wasted hard drive space. It also makes no sense in a realistic manner, seeing as how Agent 47 should be on top of where his gadgets are.

In the next update to the game, that always online requirement will be lifted. Now, 47 can actually level up and retain his gear without being plugged into the world wide web. This comes in the form of an "offline profile" which gets synced after the update goes live. One final connection and you can finally take your adventure off the grid.

Along with this much-needed feature, the update will also be fixing performance stability and adding a bunch of extra descriptions on the various in-game menus. I suppose having checkmarks for completed objectives sounds obvious, but was left out for whatever reason. All of these changes are to prepare for the January 31, 2017 release date for the disc-based version. I guess it makes sense to have the game actually work offline from a disc.

You can check out all of the updates over on the Steam community page. The list is fairly extensive, even if most of the changes are minimal.

Release Notes for the November Update [Steam Community]

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Nintendo and McDonald's have a long history of cross promotion, and it appears that the fast food giant will soon be offering Mario toys with their Happy Meals, presumably to coincide with the release of Super Mario Run. Nintendo Everything came across a promotional flyer for employees of UK McDonald's locations that says Mario and friends will be given away in Happy Meals from January 11 to February 7 next year.

No word on whether the promotion will be available in other territories yet, but it seems likely given the global appeal of iPhones, McDonald's, and Mario. The flyer mentions that Mario is searching for Yoshi, so it's possible that might be the goal of Super Mario Run.

Happy Meal toys are kind of a sneaky way to get kids to beg for fast food, but there's no denying it works. I remember pleading to go to McDonald's back in 1989 when the Super Mario 3 figures launched. I had the spring loaded Mario figure that you could make "jump" by pressing his suction cup down to the base. It was great until the plastic cracked and the suction cup couldn't grip the base anymore. Oh well.

While we're on the subject, that Happy Meal box dressed up like Mario is more than a little freaky. It looks kind of like the end result of a minion making love to one of those MAGA ornaments.
 

Super Mario Happy Meals will be back at McDonald's UK starting next month[NintendoEverything]

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I probably should have waited to buy a PlayStation 4 Pro.

After a couple of weeks with Sony's higher-end console, that's the conclusion I've settled on as someone who is quite fond of PlayStation VR but doesn't yet have a 4K TV and likely won't until this time next year at the earliest. It's a strange and somewhat conflicted state of mind to be in, one you may or may not be able to relate to. I can't say I regret upgrading, knowing that the Pro will only get better as more games offer support. But I also can't say I'm terribly impressed with it, either.

It's a nice console, to be sure. I appreciate having double the storage space since I tend to buy a fairly even mix of digital and disc-based titles, both of which quickly chip away at the ol' HDD. It's also a joy to have less white noise coming from the fans (so far!), and the data transfer process from PS4 to Pro was surprisingly easy (it took a couple of hours via Ethernet cable, and everything just worked).

Of course, the big selling point is better-looking visuals. But that's only for titles that support the system, and even then it's not always clear what, exactly, has been improved. It can be obvious in side-by-sides, but sometimes, the changes are more granular or otherwise subtle when you're going off memory. I find myself regularly Googling for more specific patch notes from developers.

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The word "cyber" will forever read real weird to me, but deals? I love me some deals.

You might've seen that Nintendo is running its digital game sale on the Wii U and 3DS storefronts, but if not (maybe you're taking the ignorance-is-bliss approach like I was attempting to), here they are.

As ever, the discounts aren't necessarily going to seem stellar relative to the rest of the industry's holiday deals, though a few of these titles do stand out to me. I wouldn't mind double dipping on Super Mario Galaxy 2 and snagging Kirby's Return to Dream Land for Wii U at $10 a pop.

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Back in 2014 I played Ultimate General: Gettysburg, a short but innovative strategy game set during the Civil War’s most famous battle. Two years later and the same game is back, only now it’s a full singleplayer campaign experience.

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The yule log was always a curious tradition to me. I could understand burning your own piece of wood (fire is awesome), but why do people put on a video of someone else torching crap? Heck, there are numerous DVDs you can buy from Amazon just to get into the season. My friend's dad probably owns all of them, too.

Well, if you're one of the few who does partake in this past time, Capcom certainly has a treat for you. To promote the soon-to-be-released Dead Rising 4, there is a new 21-minute-long yule log video that features zombified body parts being thrown into a fire with Dead Rising themed Christmas music playing. The idea is cute, especially if you actually like watching a fire pit for extended periods of time.

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It might not feel like it right now, but Cyber Monday will end within hours, with thousands of great gaming deals set to expire

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A few years ago, there was a very successful Kickstarter campaign for a board game called Kingdom Death: Monster. This week, a new, improved version of the game hit the crowdfunding service, and in only a few days has raised over five million dollars.

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After a five-year wait, we finally have word of a new Marvel vs. Capcom title. The next game is said to be in development for a 2017 release. However, if rumors prove true, it will be officially announced this weekend at PlayStation Experience.

These reports come from Polygon, which says it vetted multiple sources. The game will be titled Marvel vs. Capcom 4 and its reveal will be in conjunction with the Capcom Cup tournament at PlayStation Experience. It's unknown if it'll happen in Sony's keynote on Saturday morning, or if it'll be a part of something that's more Capcom-centric. No word of platforms was indicated.

As Polygon mentions, Marvel vs. Capcom 4 will have more of a focus on the recent Marvel movie universe rather than the comic books. That means that films like The Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy will make up the bulk of the roster while series mainstays like X-Men will go underrepresented.

Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 was the most recent game in the franchise to be released, all the way back in 2011. It still resonates with its player-base though, as it's one of the more popular games at Evo every year. Polygon also reports that "there may be good news for fans of Marvel vs. Capcom 3 coming soon."

Marvel vs. Capcom 4's approach sounds as if it'll be a departure from form of sorts for the franchise. However, it makes sense given how focused on its films Marvel has been. It's likely that the cinematic angle was the only way Marvel was willing to renegotiate its rights with Capcom. If that's what it takes to get another Marvel vs. Capcom, well, that's what it takes.

Marvel vs. Capcom 4 coming in 2017 [Polygon]

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Just a heads up that Nintendo's network services will be undergoing maintenance beginning at 5PM Pacific time (8PM Eastern) and running until 1AM Pacific tomorrow morning. Both the Wii U and the 3DS networks will be affected. The listing of services impacted is a bit vague, but the page mentions that Online play, Rankings and other functions may be affected, so you probably won't be able to get in any rounds of Splatoon or multiplayer Monster Hunter tonight.

While it's unclear what the maintenance is meant to repair or upgrade, it was thoughtful of Nintendo to put it off over the long weekend. The maintenance is scheduled to take place starting an hour after this post goes live, so if you need to check in with the Arcade Bunny or bring a Pokémon back from the GTS, better do it soon. 

There will be some additional maintenance on Wednesday to upgrade the Super Mario Maker servers and allow for cross-play between the 3DS and Wii U versions. That will only affect the Mario Maker games though, and other Nintendo titles will be unaffected.

Network Maintenance Information / Operational Status [Nintendo]

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With Final Fantasy XV getting ready to dominate the world soon, it only makes sense that FFXV-related goods would eventually hit the shelves. Joining Audi's gaudy tie-in vehicle is Wiz's Energizing Elixir from Jones Soda. Based on the game's Wiz Chocobo Post location, the orange and cream soda (the best flavor) will be $2.99 a bottle and will most likely only exist for a limited time. 

If you purchase your copy of the game at Target, however, you'll be able to grab a bottle for free with proof of purchase. Much like the highly sought after Fallout tie-in Nuka Cola, expect these to disappear rather quickly. 

I'm probably going to buy a few of these myself to keep me terribly hydrated during Final Fantasy XV's awesome-sounding experience. 

[Via Gamasutra]

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A group of Civilization players have banded together and formed something called Democraciv, where a whole bunch of humans work together to operate a single Civilization, some of them actually playing, the rest arguing and giving advice.

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Pokken Tournament can't stop, won't stop! At least in arcades, where it's getting tons of new DLC in the form of extra fighters. Wii U isn't getting anything just yet, while we wait for more information, or a potential Switch port.

As per the official Twitter account, Bandai Namco has announced that they'll reveal yet another character on December 1 -- which, like the past, will probably include lots of footage by way of a livestream event.

All signs point to Empoleon, the final evolution of the penguin Piplup. It's been rumored for weeks due to a datamine effort that uncovered all the other reveals, and I hope it's right! A Water/Steel type would be a cool addition.

Pokken Tournament [Twitter]

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In the Assassin’s Creed video games, the Animus technology that lets people travel into their DNA’s genetic memories is housed in comfy chairs or beds. In the upcoming movie, using the Animus means getting a needle into your spinal cord. So extreme!

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Overwatch has a max level! Kinda. A Chinese account reached it a little while back, but they made judicious use of account-sharing, allowing a single account to level up for ungodly amounts of time each day. Now, finally, one player has done it all on his own.

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Deadspin What If Jeff Fisher Is Just An Expert Troll? | The Slot Jill Goddamn Stein Files For Recount in Pennsylvania, Has Raised $6.3 Million to Date | Paleofuture I Swear to God This Is a Real Graph From Thomas Friedman’s Latest Book | Deadspin What If Jeff Fisher Is Just An Expert Troll? |

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It's Cyber Monday! Deals are overflowing and retailers are already hearing the cash register ringing. Among the chaos, you can even spot a wild Wii U deal hidden all the way in the back... 

The Xbox One S deals are as strong as ever given Microsoft's frequent latitude for promotions. Deals are spread among multiple retailers. The Microsoft Store is keeping with its usual $50 discount plus bonuses of a free game of your choice and a $25 gift card. The only stock that seems to be sold out is the Storm Grey 500GB bundle. If you want more of a cash bonus, various eBay retailers are offering 1TB Xbox One S bundles for $299 with $50 gift cards in lieu of a free game.

At the Sony domain, Best Buy is tossing in a free copy of Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare Legacy Edition with every PlayStation 4 Slim/Pro purchase. While Infinite Warfare is so-so, the Legacy Edition does include the very excellent Modern Warfare Remastered -- so that's a pretty enticing offer. For straight up cash discount, Amazon has an amazing price of $212 on the PS4 Slim. (Sorry dead deal, Jim).

Finally, while Wii U deals are almost lacking, you can pick up a new unit at Jet.com for $269.99. Pricey for an old system? Sure, but everywhere else is at list price and more. Also available at Jet is the New Nintendo 3DS XL (black unit) for $169.99. Both deals are only here because of a Jet.com Cyber Monday coupon taking $30 off qualifying items. If you were looking the $99 New 3DS, don't hold your breath. Stocks are empty on that handheld and we don't expect them to return until Christmas nears. Because Nintendo always does an excellent job of anticipating demand...

Xbox One S Deals

Microsoft Store

• Xbox One S 2TB Gears of War 4 Bundle + Free Game + $25 Gift Code — $399.99
• Xbox One S 1TB Battlefield 1 Bundle + Free Game + $25 Gift Code — $299.99
• Xbox One S 1TB FIFA 17 Bundle + Free Game + $25 Gift Code — $299
• Xbox One S Battlefield 1 Bundle + Free Game + $25 Gift Code — $249.99
• Xbox One S FIFA 17 Bundle + Free Game + $25 Gift Card — $249

Best Buy

• Xbox One S 1TB Gears of War 4 Bundle + Free Controller — $299.99
• Xbox One S 1TB Battlefield 1 Bundle + Free Controller — $299.99

More

• Xbox One S Battlefield 1 Storm Grey Bundle + 4K Movie + $20 Gift Card — $249
• Xbox One S Battlefield 1 Bundle + 3 Mo. Xbox Live Gold — $212.50

PS4 Slim/Pro Deals

Best Buy

• PS4 Pro 1TB + Infinite Warfare Legacy Edition — $399.99
• PS4 Slim Uncharted 4 Bundle + Infinite Warfare Legacy Edition — $249.99

GameStop/Amazon

• PS4 Slim Uncharted 4 Bundle + Ratchet Clank + Last of Us Remastered — $249.99
• PS4 Slim Uncharted 4 Bundle — $212.49

Wii U & New 3DS XL Deals

• Wii U Console 32GB Deluxe Set with Mario Kart 8 — $267.99  (list price $300)
• New Nintendo 3DS XL Black — $169.99  (list price $200)
• Wii U 32GB Deluxe Console + Mario 3D World + Nintendo Land (Refurbished) — $215  <- sold by Nintendo

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After 10 long years of development, Final Fantasy 15 is finally out

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Like I noted earlier: Dishonored 2 makes killing fun, even it'd rather you not.

The first is probably my favorite. There's a nut-shot that's pretty good, though. And of course I am partial to the way I did it: entering Jindosh's Clockwork Mansion through a skylight at the beginning and crawling around its guts, never alerting the smug fool to my presence in the first place, and then dumping his unconscious body onto a shock-therapy machine to make his brain go bad.

Still, giving him a moment of ego just to pull the rug out from under him and send him careening into the drink is probably worth it, too. And still seems more humane than the whole brain-frying deal.

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On the top left we have a screenshot from the release version of The King of Fighters XIV, a game that transformed beautiful 2D characters into lifeless 3D husks. On the bottom right, a shot from the game’s 1.10 update, which is looking to add a little life back into the game. This is good.

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Overwatch’s Genji is the annoying buzz in your ear when you know a fly is in the room and can’t damn find it. But you have to admit—his weapon design is awesome.

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Ever since I played Metal Gear Solid 2 nearly half my life ago (shudders), my goal in stealth games has been the same: to knock people unconscious and then position their bodies so that they’ll wake up thinking, “What the shit was I even doing?”

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Welcome to Cyber Monday, where 4K HDTV deals can on occasion dip below the price of 1080p TVs. A 55-inch 4K Smart TV for $380 anyone? Best Buy has one while at the same time selling a similar size Samsung 1080p for $450. Makes perfect Cyber Monday sense. :)

We've rounded up all the very hot deals on big-screen 4K TVs this Cyber Monday from three retailers below. More deals were available early midnight and they've been selling out fast. If you're in the market, these prices will be hard to beat the rest of the year.

Note that some some of them are so-so for gaming so check specs on refresh rate before you toss your cash at the screen. After all, it's a freaking 55-inch 4K TV for $380. Sheesh.

Best Buy

• 65" Toshiba 65L621U 4K Smart TV with Built-in Chromecast — $599.99 (list $900)
• 55" Toshiba 55L621U 55" 4K Smart TV — $379.99 (list $550)
• 43" Toshiba 43L621U 4K Smart TV — $249.99 (list $400)

Jet - Use Code: DROP25

• 65" Vizio M65-D0 4K Smart TV — $1,099.99 (list $1,500)
• 60" Vizio M60-C3 2160p 4K SmartTV — $779.99 (list $1,000)
• 55" Vizio M55-D0 4K Smart TV — $699.99 (list $1,000)
• 50" Vizio M50-D1 4K Smart TV — $549.99 (list $955)
• 55" Vizio E55-E2 4K Smart HDTV w/ Chromecast — $419.99 (list $630)

Rakuten

• 60" Vizio E60-E3 4K Smart TV with Chromecast — $539.99 (list $970)

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